Roaming Hunger, the nation’s largest network of food trucks, is partnering with local and national organizations to provide free meals to disaster relief workers and local residents in Asheville, N.C. following the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
Together with Mike Trotta, owner of New York-based Buddy Boy Provisions, and local North Carolina food trailer, Roman’s Treats and Dogs, Roaming Hunger distributed food and supplies to hundreds on the frontlines of the recovery efforts over the past few weeks.
Mobilizing Across State Lines to Support Asheville
Seeing the devastation in Asheville and Western North Carolina, Trotta was motivated to take action. While he had food, water and dry goods to donate, he didn’t have a direct way to distribute them, so he reached out to Roaming Hunger.
“After hearing about the impact of Hurricane Helene, I knew we could help,” said Trotta. “Partnering with Roaming Hunger gave us the ability to get our meals delivered quickly to those who needed them most. I’m so thankful we were able to come together to support the community during this challenging time.”
Following its conversation with Trotta, the Roaming Hunger team leveraged its industry-leading network to connect with local food trucks already engaged in Asheville’s disaster relief efforts. Roman’s quick response and willingness to help ensured that Trotta’s donations made it to those who needed them most.
Roman Romagnoli, a 22-year Navy veteran and owner of Roman’s Treats and Dogs, played a key role in coordinating local operations. He not only stored Trotta’s donations and prevented them from spoiling, but he also volunteered to distribute them to Nesbitt Perish Church, a critical site for supply distribution and volunteers. Romagnoli also made his own donation of several dozen cases of sports drinks.
“Getting these meals to the people working long hours in the field was critical,” said Romagnoli.
Roaming Hunger’s ability to rapidly respond and work with local food partners ensured that relief efforts were well-supported. For other organizations looking to contribute food during disaster relief efforts, Roaming Hunger is uniquely positioned to help coordinate donations.
“At Roaming Hunger, the core of our mission is to connect communities through the power of food. So, when Buddy Boy Provisions reached out to us, we were excited to leverage our network to quickly mobilize and provide meals to those who needed them most, from relief workers to volunteers on the ground, to local residents directly affected by the storm,” said Roaming Hunger CEO Greg Liberman. “Our nationwide platform, with amazing food truck partners like Roman’s Treats, is uniquely positioned to help get hot meals to people who are working tirelessly to rebuild their communities in the field.”
Food Trucks for Disaster Relief
Roaming Hunger’s involvement in disaster relief efforts in Asheville is a key example of how food trucks can mobilize in disaster zones, quickly providing much-needed food to areas where traditional infrastructure may be disrupted.
The goal of Roaming Hunger’s disaster relief initiative extends beyond the present situation in Asheville. This project demonstrates the company’s ability to respond to disaster situations, establishing a blueprint for future relief efforts that can use food trucks as a key resource for feeding emergency teams and affected communities.
If your organization requires assistance or has food and supplies to donate, please reach out through Roaming Hunger’s website at roaminghunger.com or contact our team at disasterrelief@roaminghunger.com.
About Roaming Hunger
Founded in 2009, Roaming Hunger is the largest online platform for finding and booking food trucks in the U.S., with a network of over 22,000 food trucks, trailers, carts, and pop-ups. It has a track record of mobilizing food trucks for large-scale events and community initiatives, including providing meal support during the COVID-19 pandemic in cities such as Los Angeles and New York. Roaming Hunger is committed to helping communities through food in times of need, offering an innovative solution for disaster relief meal distribution.
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